U.S. patent application number 11/835723 was filed with the patent office on 2009-02-12 for wheel structure.
Invention is credited to LI-LAN YAN.
Application Number | 20090038113 11/835723 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40345124 |
Filed Date | 2009-02-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090038113 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
YAN; LI-LAN |
February 12, 2009 |
WHEEL STRUCTURE
Abstract
A wheel includes a central holding member, a wheel member, a
shell secured around the central holding member, a shaft partly
received in the central holding member, a bearing around the shaft
inside the central holding member, an upper cover tightly pressed
against the bearing, a braking plate mechanism, and a pressing
plate mechanism; the upper cover has a connecting extension section
having first and second pivotal holes; the braking plate mechanism
and the pressing plate mechanism are pivoted on the first and the
second pivotal holes of the upper cover respectively; the pressing
plate mechanism includes a big pressing plate, and a second
pressing plate; when the big pressing plate is depressed, it will
press the braking plate mechanism against the wheel member to stop
the wheel member; the little pressing plate is used to move the big
pressing plate away from the braking plate mechanism.
Inventors: |
YAN; LI-LAN; (CHIAYI COUNTY,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSENBERG, KLEIN & LEE
3458 ELLICOTT CENTER DRIVE-SUITE 101
ELLICOTT CITY
MD
21043
US
|
Family ID: |
40345124 |
Appl. No.: |
11/835723 |
Filed: |
August 8, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
16/39 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60B 33/0021 20130101;
Y10T 16/195 20150115; B60B 33/0057 20130101; B60B 33/0049 20130101;
B60B 33/021 20130101; B60B 33/0039 20130101; B60B 33/0081 20130101;
B60B 33/0073 20130101; Y10T 16/202 20150115; B60B 33/0068 20130101;
Y10T 16/216 20150115; B60B 33/0028 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
16/39 |
International
Class: |
B60B 33/00 20060101
B60B033/00 |
Claims
1. An improvement on a wheel structure, comprising a central
holding member, the central holding member having an uppermost
protrusion, which has a plurality of gaps thereon; the central
holding member having a plurality of fixing holes, which are formed
on the gaps of the uppermost protrusion respectively; a shell
secured around the central holding member; a shaft partly received
in the central holding member; a bearing, which is positioned
around the shaft, and held in the central holding member; and an
upper cover secured over the uppermost protrusion of the central
holding member; the upper cover having a plurality of connecting
holes; the upper cover being joined to the central holding member
by means of threaded fixing elements, which are passed through the
connecting holes of the upper cover, and into the fixing holes of
the central holding member.
2. The improvement on a wheel structure as claimed in claim 1
further comprising an outer covering part secured on a top of the
shell.
3. An improvement on a wheel structure, comprising a central
holding member; a shell secured around the central holding member;
a shaft partly received in the central holding member; a bearing,
which is positioned around the shaft, and held in the central
holding member; an upper cover secured on a top of the central
holding member; the upper covering having a connecting extension
section sticking sideways from one side thereof; the connecting
extension section having first and second pivotal holes; a braking
plate mechanism pivoted on the first pivotal hole of the connecting
extension section of the upper cover; and a pressing plate
mechanism pivoted on the second pivotal hole of the connecting
extension section of the upper cover; the pressing plate mechanism
including a big pressing plate, and a little pressing plate; one of
the big and the little pressing plates being going to cause motion
of other one of the big and the little pressing plates when being
operated.
4. The improvement on a wheel structure as claimed in claim 3
further comprising an outer covering part secured on a top of the
shell.
5. The improvement on a wheel structure as claimed in claim 3,
wherein the central holding member has an uppermost protrusion,
which has a plurality of gaps thereon; the central holding member
having a plurality of fixing holes, which are formed on the gaps of
the uppermost protrusion respectively; the upper cover having a
plurality of connecting holes, which are adjacent to corresponding
said fixing holes.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an improvement on a wheel
structure, more particularly one, which is relatively easy to
assemble; the wheel structure includes an upper cover having a
connecting extension section for allowing a braking mechanism to
pivot on.
[0003] 2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Hospital beds are usually equipped with wheels so that they
can serve substantially the same purpose as wheelchairs to transfer
patients rapidly and easily from sick chambers to other divisions
of a hospital such as an examination division.
[0005] Hospital beds and wheelchairs are further equipped with a
brake mechanism for stopping/immobilizing the wheels.
[0006] A kind of wheel for use with hospital beds/wheelchairs
includes a wheel supporting member, a shaft, a wheel member
pivoting on the wheel supporting member, a bearing fitted on the
wheel support member, a toothed disk arranged under the bearing,
and a straightforward motion limiting device, a braking device.
[0007] The wheel supporting member has protruding ear portions on
two sides thereof. The straightforward motion limiting device
includes a straightforward motion limiting board facing the toothed
disk, a straightforward motion limiting pedal, a releasing board
pivoted on the protruding ear portions of the wheel supporting
member. The braking device includes a brake motion limiting board,
and a brake pedal, which is pivoted on the protruding ear portions
of the wheel supporting member like the releasing board of the
straightforward motion limiting device.
[0008] The toothed disk has a straightforward motion limiting
cavity, and a brake motion limiting cavity. The straightforward
motion limiting board has at a front portion thereof an upward
limiting protrusion to pass into the straightforward motion
limiting cavity of the toothed disk. Furthermore, the brake motion
limiting board has at a front portion thereof several upward
protrusions to pass into the brake motion limiting cavity of the
toothed disk.
[0009] The above wheel has the following drawbacks: It is difficult
and takes much time to pivot the brake pedal of the braking device
to the protruding ear portions of the wheel supporting member
because there is only a small space between the protruding ear
portions and the body of the wheel supporting member. And, the
brake pedal is prone to shake. Third, the manufacturing cost of the
wheel supporting member is relatively high owing to the existence
of the protruding ear portions. Because the bearing is only held in
position by means of a bearing holder and a fixing sleeve, which is
pressed against a top of the bearing holder, it will tilt easily
when the shaft is swaying left and right; consequently, the bearing
can get damaged after it is used for a certain length of time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It is a main object of the present invention to provide an
improvement on a wheel structure to overcome the above
problems.
[0011] A wheel structure according to an embodiment of the present
invention includes a central holding member, a wheel member, a
shell secured around the central holding member, a shaft partly
received in the central holding member, a bearing, an upper cover
secured on a top of the central holding member, a braking plate
mechanism, and a pressing plate mechanism. The bearing is
positioned around the shaft, and held in the central holding
member. The upper cover has a connecting extension section sticking
sideways from one side thereof, which has a first pivotal hole, and
a second pivotal hole. The braking plate mechanism is pivoted on
the first pivotal hole of the connecting extension section of the
upper cover while the pressing plate mechanism is pivoted on the
second pivotal hole. The pressing plate mechanism includes a big
pressing plate, and a second pressing plate. When the big pressing
plate is depressed, it will press the braking plate mechanism
against the wheel member so as to stop the wheel member. The little
pressing plate is used to move the big pressing plate away from the
braking plate mechanism. Because the pressing plate mechanism and
the braking plate mechanism are fitted on the upper cover instead
of being directly fitted on the central holding member, they are
relatively easy to install.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The present invention will be better understood by referring
to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the present
invention,
[0014] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the present invention,
[0015] FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the present
invention,
[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention,
[0017] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of another
embodiment,
[0018] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the present invention under
operation (1), and
[0019] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the invention under operation
(2).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Referring to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of a wheel
structure of the present invention includes:
[0021] a central holding member 1, the central holding member 1 has
a pivotal extension portion 11 sticking sideways from one side
thereof; the central holding member 1 has an uppermost protrusion
14, which has several gaps thereon; the central holding member 1
further has several fixing holes 15, which are formed on the gaps
of the uppermost protrusion 14 respectively;
[0022] a wheel member 6 pivoting on the pivotal extension portion
11 of the central holding member 1;
[0023] a shaft 12 partly received in the central holding member
1;
[0024] a bearing 13, which is positioned around the shaft 12, and
held in the central holding member 1;
[0025] an upper cover 2, the upper cover 2 has several connecting
holes 21, and is secured over the uppermost protrusion 14 of the
central holding member 1 by means of threaded fixing elements (not
numbered) passed through the connecting holes 21 and into the
fixing holes 15 of the central holding member 1; the upper cover 2
has a connecting extension section 22 sticking sideways from one
side thereof; the connecting extension section 22 has a first
pivotal hole 221, and a second pivotal hole 222;
[0026] a braking plate mechanism 3 pivoted on the first pivotal
hole 221 of the connecting extension section 22 of the upper cover
2;
[0027] a pressing plate mechanism 4 pivoted on the second pivotal
hole 222 of the connecting extension section 22 of the upper cover
2; the pressing plate mechanism 4 includes a big pressing plate 41,
and a little pressing plate 42; and
[0028] a shell 5 secured around the central holding member 1; the
shell 5 further has an outer covering part 7 secured on a top of
thereof.
[0029] In assembly, first the braking plate mechanism 3 is pivoted
to the first pivotal hole 221 of the connecting extension section
22 of the upper cover 2, and the pressing plate mechanism 4 is
pivoted to the second pivotal hole 22 of the connecting extension
section 22 of the upper cover 2. Then, the wheel 6 is pivoted to
the pivotal extension portion 11 of the central holding member 1.
Third, the bearing 13 joined to the shaft 12 is positioned in the
central holding member 1. Fourth, the upper cover 2 is tightly
pressed against both the bearing 13 and the uppermost protrusion 14
of the central holding member 1, and secured to the central holding
member 1 by means of threaded fixing elements; thus, the bearing 13
is firmly held in the central holding member 1 without possibility
of shaking relative to the central holding member 1, as shown in
FIG. 3. Finally, the shell 5 is secured around the central holding
member 1, as shown in FIG. 4.
[0030] Shown in FIG. 6 is the wheel structure of the present
invention in an immobile configuration. To change the wheel
structure to the immobile configuration, the user depresses the big
pressing plate 41 of the pressing plate mechanism 4 so as to make
the big pressing plate 41 pivot downwards relative to the
connecting extension section 22 of the upper cover 2; thus, the big
pressing plate 41 presses the braking plate mechanism 3 against the
wheel member 6, and the wheel member 6 is stopped; the little
pressing plate 42 of the pressing plate mechanism 4 will pivot
upwards automatically when the big pressing plate 41 is being
pivoted downwards.
[0031] Shown in FIG. 7 is the wheel structure of the present
invention in a movable configuration. To change the wheel structure
to the movable configuration, the user depresses the little
pressing plate 42 of the pressing plate mechanism 4 so as to make
the big pressing plate 41 pivot upwards and away from the braking
plate mechanism 3; thus, the braking plate mechanism 3 is no longer
pressed against the wheel member 6, and the wheel member 6 is free
to rotate.
[0032] Shown in FIG. 5 is the second preferred embodiment of a
wheel structure of the present invention. The wheel structure
includes:
[0033] a central holding member 1, which has a pivotal extension
portion 11 sticking sideways from one side thereof; the central
holding member 1 has an uppermost protrusion 14, which has several
gaps thereon; the central holding member 1 further has several
fixing holes 15, which are formed on the gaps of the uppermost
protrusion 14 respectively;
[0034] a shaft 12 partly received in the central holding member 1;
the shaft 12 is equipped with a central controlling member (not
numbered);
[0035] a bearing 13 positioned around the shaft 12 and inside the
central holding member 1;
[0036] a wheel member 6 pivoting on the pivotal extension portion
11 of the central holding member 1;
[0037] a brake mechanism 3A, which is arranged above the wheel
member 6 within a lower portion of the central holding member 1,
and can be controlled with the central controlling member of the
shaft 12;
[0038] an upper cover 2, the upper cover 2 has several connecting
holes 21, and is secured over the uppermost protrusion 14 of the
central holding member 1 by means of threaded fixing elements (not
numbered) passed through the connecting holes 21 and into the
fixing holes 15 of the central holding member 1; and
[0039] a shell 5 secured around the central holding member 1; the
shell 5 further has an outer covering part 7 secured on a top of
thereof.
[0040] From the above description, it can be seen that the present
invention has the following advantages over the prior art:
[0041] 1. The bearing is firmly held in the central holding member
without possibility of shaking relative to the central holding
member because the upper cover is fixed and tightly pressed against
both the bearing and the uppermost protrusion of the central
holding member.
[0042] 2. The upper cover is formed with the connecting extension
section for the pressing plate mechanism and the braking plate
mechanism to be pivoted on; the wheel structure of the present
invention is easier to manufacture than the prior art because it is
relatively difficult to form the protruding ear portions on the
wheel supporting member of the prior art, which has several curved
portions.
[0043] 3. The pressing plate mechanism and the braking plate
mechanism of the present invention are installed on the upper cover
before the upper cover is secured on the central holding member.
Therefore, the pressing plate mechanism and the braking plate
mechanism are relatively easy to install, and the present invention
is easier to assemble.
* * * * *